Dealer, con man gets jail sentence

An Addison County businessman tearfully told a federal judge Wednesday he could not explain how he became involved in a large-scale marijuana distribution and money-laundering operation that landed him a five-year prison sentence and forced him to forfeit $2 million in drug proceeds and other assets.

"I don't know what there is in me that made me make the wrong decision," Ronald "Jay" Langford III, 48, of Addison, told Judge J. Garvan Murtha in U.S. District Court in Rutland moments before his sentence was handed down. "I've searched my soul and I truly don't know."

Langford then apologized for his actions to the judge, his friends and family in the courtroom, as well as the federal prosecutors and drug agents who investigated the case.

"I would like to look at anyone else in this room, this world and admit my guilt," Langford said.

The judge also told Langford he couldn't understand what led him to commit the crimes.

Murtha then sentenced Langford to five years in prison followed by three years of supervised release on federal charges that he conspired to distribute more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana, on two counts of money laundering and one count of bank fraud.

Langford also was ordered to pay $389,382 in restitution to victims of his fraudulent conduct and to forfeit $2 million in drug proceeds and various other assets.

The forfeited money eventually gets redistributed to law enforcement agencies that have assisted in the investigation of the case.

Federal sentencing guidelines, which are advisory to judges, had called for a sentence of up to 260 months, or more than 20 years in prison for Langford.

However, Murtha granted Langford a significant "downward departure" from the guidelines based on his "cooperation" with authorities investigating the case.

That cooperation led to charges filed against two other people allegedly involved in the marijuana distribution operation, including one man who supplied Langford with marijuana.

"That's 60 months in prison versus 260 months," Murtha told Langford in handing down the five-year prison term. "That's a lot of months I've taken off because of your cooperation."

Langford, his attorney, friends and family who spoke at his sentencing hearing, asked for leniency. They described Langford as brilliant man, who also is a caring and compassionate father to his two young children.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Gary Shattuck did not contest Langford's intelligence.

"He is a brilliant man," the federal prosecutor said. "Unfortunately, he went off totally in the wrong direction."

Shattuck termed Langford not only a drug dealer but a con artist who managed to get others to invest in his fraudulent schemes. The prosecutor then talked of the amounts of drugs and money involved in Langford's crimes.

"These are staggering amounts of money. These are staggering amounts of drugs," Shattuck said. "He scammed at least three people out of hundreds of thousands of dollars."

According to court records, the offenses took place between 1994 and 2003 and involved Langford and his investment company, New England Investment Consulting Services.

The charges against Langford involved his participating in arranging for the transportation to Vermont and later distribution of more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana, according to federal prosecutors.

Prosecutors said at the time of Langford's arrest in April 2004 that the investigation into the case lasted several months and involved many federal and state agencies in Vermont and California. Prosecutors added that it is one of the biggest drug forfeiture cases in Vermont.

The operation involved couriers to transport large amounts of money to California, who would then return to Vermont with the marijuana, prosecutors said. Langford then arranged for the distribution of the drug in the Chittenden County area.

Prosecutors said as a result of his drug activities, Langford generated millions of dollars in profits.

Also, prosecutors said, Langford admitted he engaged in illegal investment activity through New England Investment Consulting Services. Langford said he had obtained large amounts of money from unsuspecting investors, which he mixed with his drug proceeds.

Langford told the judge Wednesday in court he has worked to turn his life around since arrest two years ago.

"I'm a different person today than I was two years ago when I got caught," he said to Murtha.

"I don't mean to belittle what you said," the judge replied, "but I hear that in 90 percent of the cases."

"I hope you believe me," Langford said.

"I would like to believe you," Murtha responded.

Langford was given until May 30 to begin serving his five-year prison sentence.